Sunday, September 30, 2007

I thought I'd take a second to tell you all that Joyce passed away Friday night. After my quick trip last weekend she continually got worse and went to the hospital Thursday night. They were supposed to do surgery on Friday but by Friday she was even worse and so they couldn't operate. She, Stu and the doctors met and it was decided she'd go home rather than stay in the hospital. Roger asked her what she wanted, and she said all her family by her side. We all miraculously caught the last flight out of Utah and flew to Texas. We all arrived around 9:00 PM and she passed away at 11:15 that night. It was a very peaceful experience. She was still able to communicate with us, but was very uncomfortable. It was so sad to see her in such pain. It was a very sad, but beautiful experience to all be together and say goodbye. I'll write more about it later. For now I just wanted all to know. I haven't felt like calling anyone because it's too emotional to talk about it. I already miss her so much. Her husband Stu is seriously so incredible and I love him so much. Her little baby Jake has been such a joy to be around. I am so surprised at the comfort he brings. I have kissed him over and over and love to hold him and see him. I'll put info about her funeral as we know more. It will be in Utah, in Payson and most likely on Friday morning. Thank you so much for your phone calls & prayers! We have had miracle after miracle and so many wonderful experiences, too many to write and too special to share most of them. I'm just so glad to have such supportive friends. I don't know what I'd do with out you all.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

I got this off Mary's blog. I think it's a fun way to get to know each other. It actually took me some time to think of answers to all these crazy questions. Anyway, here you go:

Crazy 8's:

8 things I'm passionate about1. Trying to loose these extra baby pounds!2. My kids/Matt/family3. Finishing work so that I can relax4. Keeping a clean house5. Teaching my kids good manners6. Becoming more of a reader rather than a couch potato7. Education8. Being kind/compassionate towards others

8 things I want to do before I die1. Read all the Harry Potter books (if you know me well, you know that may indeed take a lifetime)2. Do a triathlon3. See my kids all go to college & get married4. Travel the world with Matt5. Be financially secure6. Get a tummy tuck and a boob job (sad that this comes before the following two, I should have specified "in no particular order).7. Be able to play all the hymns well8. Have a better understanding of the scriptures

8 things I say often1. “I’m seriously going to the loony bin”2. “Please don’t do that Amber”3. “Well that wasn’t very nice”4. “I am seriously so stressed out”5. “I love you babe”6. “You’re such a good girl Libby” (the dog)7. “Oh Parkie, you’re so cute”8. “What are we going to do?”

Songs I could listen to over and over (I changed this to Artists)1. The Killers2. Dixie Chicks3. Sarah McLaughlin4. Cold Play5. Collective Soul6. Dave Matthew’s Band (still a fan, just not the concerts)7. Justin Timberlake (surprising to some I know)8. Led Zeppelin/Pink Floyd

8 things that attract me to my best friends1. They are therapeutic!2. They make me laugh uncontrollably3. They are all a blast to be around4. They inspire me5. They don’t care what I look like!6. They make me happy7. They are fun to be around8. They are good examples

8 things I’ve learned this past year1. Life is too short and is flying by!2. I am so blessed3. Honesty is really the best policy!4. Some things I just need to learn to let go (dishes in the sink, laundry piled up)5. I don’t need to always answer my phone6. More patience 7. My spelling is getting worse and worse8. I need a little “Trisha” time each day to keep me out of the loony bin

8 people I think should do '8' (some of you already have, but do it again!)1. Ashley2. Stacie3. Abby4. Sara5. Jill6. Katy 7. Amy8. Jody

Monday, September 24, 2007

Matt and I just got back from a quick trip to Texas, WITH OUT the kids! It was a quick trip, Friday to Sunday, but it was great. I have a lot of family there: my two sisters Joyce and Joan, and my brother Roger. We originally went for the Dave Matthew's Band Concert (our friend's brother was supposedly opening for them in Dallas only...). It was a perfect weekend to go though. My cute sister Joyce was hospitalized Thursday for the entire weekend, so it was a great weekend to boost her spirits and be with her. Joyce was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in September, 2005. She has had miracle after miracle and we're so lucky she's with us! Her little boy Jake was born just after Parker, so December 2007. Her cancer returned while pregnant and so she continues to fight it (it's now in her liver). She is so amazing and such an example to us all. I've never met anyone with a more positive attitude. She has endured so much. I don't know how she does it. She had a rough time in the hospital (although you'd never know it from the looks of her in these pictures). Like I said, she is amazing, and her husband is amazing.This is Joan (her twin), Jake and Joyce

So the concert was a bust! I was so disappointed! We've seen Dave a few times, so I was expecting so much more. The previous time we saw him was AWESOME and I contemplated becoming a "roadie" full time for his show so that I could tour and see him perform all the time! It was so great and fun and just one song after another-it was all so dang good, no complaints at all. I never wanted the concert to end. WELL...not the case in Dallas! His opening song was so SLOW and boring. It was like a 20 minute slow song. Who opens with such a downer? The songs that followed weren't much better. FINALLY he played a peppie song, but just one after another was slow and boring. He also took a good 3 minute break between each song, so it's not like it went from one to another continuously. The raging alcoholics in front of us were getting a little upset about it and were ready to run up on stage and do something about it. Matt of course had a good time, but I don't plan to see Dave ever again. I was totally bored half way through. In fact, some of our friends left half way through. It literally was lame. I think the show catered to the pot heads, so I'm sure they enjoyed themselves. I'm surprised I wasn't enjoying it by the end...we were surrounded by doobies. Folks were puffing all night long! I said to Matt several times I thought Dave was so wasted he didn't even know what he was doing. He actually sang parts of the same song twice. I'm not much of a concert goer myself. There are only a few people I'd pay to see. Dave was one of those few, but after Saturday night's concert, never again.

This is before the concert: Chad (my sister Joan's husband), Matt and my brother Roger

These are my sister's cute kids Morgan & Emery. Emery was just born in May, 2007 so this was my first time meeting her. I wish Texas weren't so far away! The whole weekend was great though. Don't let me sound so down about the concert. The company was great, and just being able to be there while Joyce needed visitors was great! I actually looked for flights to go back first thing this morning. I already can't wait to go back.

Sunday, September 9, 2007

This weekend Matt was in a bike race called the LoToJa. It's a bike race from Logan to Jackson Hole. From start to finish, it covers 206 miles! It's done all in one day. Matt started at 6:49 AM (this picture is us on the way to the starting line) and finished at about 8:30 PM. He took a couple lengthy breaks, so total riding time was 12 hours, but with his three breaks it ended up about 13 1/2 hours.

We had a blast following him from feed zone to feed zone. This picture above is Matt on his way in to the Montpelier, Idaho (80 Miles in). He looked so great and didn't even feel the burn yet!

There is a point in the race called "King/Queen of the Mountain." It's at 115 miles, and it's at the top of a HUGE climb. Matt did awesome and cruised up WAY faster than I had anticipated. He just flew. I know if I would have been racing I would have had to walk up this portion. In fact, on our way home today we saw two bikers walking up this section of the race. I have asked Matt about 100 times if he is sore today, and of course he says no. I don't understand how that is even possible! He was on a bike from sun up to sun down!

Here we are at the finish. What a long day for Matt, but he really did do an awesome job! The weather was perfect all day, not too hot, not too cold and even the wind wasn't too bad. In past years it has been horrible, so all in all it was a great day. This is Matt's 4th LoToJa experience. It's funny, because I look back to his first year compared to now, and it's amazing how much he has progressed and how much more confidence he has now. I even think back to the "gear" he had in the past compared to now. He borrowed a friends jersey the first year, and was all mis-matched and had a lame helmet & a totally heavy bike. Now half his closet consists of bike jersey's, he has tons of jackets, socks, a much better helmet, and a much lighter bike. He knows what foods work best to give him the most energy, what foods make him gag, what drinks work best...it's just a major process so I'm glad we're done with the "beginner" stage.

Can you believe that you eat while riding? I can't imagine wolfing down food at the feed zones. It seems like it would make you yak! From what I understand though, if you don't eat, you literally can't go on. I just know with running, if I eat anything other than a gu, it sloshes around in my belly and comes up later. It's just amazing the food intake Matt took in all day yesterday. I should have taken a picture of the basket of food I would bring from feed zone to feed zone. In fact, at the stop in Afton, Wyoming, the feed zone and where I parked were about 1/4 a mile apart. So I unloaded the kids, loaded them back in to the stroller, grabbed the basket of food (which had to go on my hip, while the other hand pushed the stroller) and walked on Highway 89 for that 1/4 a mile to get to the zone. I looked like a complete imbecile. Fun times I tell you!

Anyway, the weekend was great. The best part was eating a nice breakfast together at Jedediah's in Jackson (a nice birthday breakfast for me!). What a yummy place! It was a fun morning, and beautiful as always in Jackson. It didn't really seem like my birthday. Other than the phone calls from my family/friends, it seemed like any other day. What better way to spend it though than in Jackson with the family? The only thing that would have made it better is if we ran the river!

Sunday, September 2, 2007

Amber is officially potty trained! It all started about a month ago. All our vacations & camping trips were over, so I thought it was a good time to test the waters. The first day or two was rough, but it slowly got better and better (notice in the picture the toilet is outside...it served as a reminder and it worked!). She hasn't had an accident for over two weeks now. She has done great, and it seriously is the best! I LOVE being done with diapers (at least for her, one down, and one more to go!). She just felt too old to be changed, so this is great!

I slept over at my sister-in-laws house with the kids on Friday night, meanwhile the dogs were left at home ("dogs" meaning mine, Libby and Sara's dog Montana). When I got home Saturday morning, I walked in the house and immediately smelled the nastiest smell. Amber kept asking "what's wrong Mommy?" as I'm close to dry heaving walking from room to room sniffing to find the source. Amber said "something is stinky in here." I don't know if she could really smell it, or if she was just imitating me. I can't find the source though, but I KNOW it's the smell of dog poop. I go outside to see if there's a big pile by the door that is somehow making its way in, when I discover Montana's food bin, slightly chewed through and totally empty. She had managed to break open the food bin and eat her entire weekend's stipend. Needless to say all the food caused some major gas, which was let loose for several hours I'm sure (I mean the whole house reeked!). I opened every window and aired it out all day. By evening the smell had gone away! Thank heavens! It was pretty nasty, but also quite funny.

Sunday/Saturday is just the best, isn't it? I love just chillin' and the kids do too. We love to snuggle in bed, and by popular demand watch "Barney." I think we've watched way too many episodes. Today at church Amber starting singing "Sun, Sun Mr. Golden Sun, please shine down on me..." a Barney classic for all you fans out there.